Door hinge

ABSTRACT

An elongated single- or double-acting hinge is described wherein extruded hinge column members and hinge pivot ring members of identical or substantially identical cross-sectional shape are coaxially supported in registering and mutually journaled relation on a common center rod. Door attachment bracket members extending along one or both sides of the hinge and affixed to a plurality of the pivot rings interspaced by one or more hinge column members permits swinging of a door secured to an attachment bracket with respect to the hinge column member or members and/or the center rod.

ilnited States Patent Hives [54] DOOR HINGE [72] Inventor: Paul M. Hives, 770 NE. 128th Street, North Miami, Fla. 33161 [22] Filed: July 20, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 56,310

[52] US. Cl ..16/140 [51] ..E05d 11/08 [58] Field ofSearch ..16/140, 128, 135, 158, 170,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ 1968 Fabich ..49/ 397 l/1968 Turpen Mar. 7, 1972 Primary ExaminerBobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Doris L. Troutman AttorneyEmest H. Schmidt 57] ABSTRACT An elongated singleor double-acting hinge is described wherein extruded hinge column members and hinge pivot ring members of identical or substantially identical cross-sectional shape are coaxially supported in registering and mutually journaled relation on a common center rod. Door attachment bracket members extending along one or both sides of the hinge and afiixed to a plurality of the pivot rings interspaced by one or more hinge column members permits swinging of a door secured to an attachment bracket with respect to the hinge column member or members and/or the center rod.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures DOOR HINGE This invention relates to hinges and is directed particularly to a novel and improved elongated hinge of the type commonly called "Piano Hinges.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an elongated hinge which will be neat and decorative in appearance, whether viewed from the inside or the outside of the hinge, so as to be particularly well suited to use in the hanging of folding shower doors and the like, and which, at the same time will be dustproof and waterproof when closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge construction of the above nature which can readily be fabricated of extruded metal or synthetic plastic materials for simplicity of construction and economy of manufacture.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an elongated double-acting hinge of the character described comprising one or more hinge column members and a plurality of pivot rings, all of which are of the same cross-sectional shape and all of which are provided with aligned, central openings joumaled on a common center rod or pintle, the pivot rings being alternately joined with extruded door attachment brackets at each side of the hinge whereby, upon the center rod being supported at each end within a frame or the like with respect to which doors are to be hinged, said pivot rings and their associated door attachment brackets can be rotated about said center rod for hingingly swinging doors or the like attached to said brackets.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide elongated hinges of the character above described wherein the hinge column members and pivot rings are formed about their periphery with arcuate surface portions concentric with the central pintle opening, and abutment surface portions extending outwardly of said arcuate surface portions and operative as abutment stops for door attachment bracket members having complemental face-to-face surface portions, whereby to limit the swinging action of an associated door or doors when in their closed positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an elongated hinge of the above nature wherein the abutment stop means limiting hinge movement when in the closed position includes interfitting sealing gaskets providing a watertight and dusttight seal which will be particularly effective when the hinge is in its closed limit position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated double-acting or single-acting hinge of the above nature which, being fabricated of extruded elements of uniform cross section, lend themselves to the manufacture of hinges in kit fonn wherein the length of hinge desired can be assembled by the user simply by selecting the correct number of a multiplicity of hinge elements supplied in a kit. Alternatively, long hinge columns, center rods and door attachment brackets to be cut to the required length and assembled by the user could be provided in kit form.

Another object is to provide a hinge of the character described comprising rotatively adjustable detent means between the pivot rings and the attachment bracket members for retaining a hinged door or the like in partially or fully open position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hinge of the above nature which will be attractive in appearance, easy to install, economical in cost, foolproof in operation, and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view, as seen from above and with portions broken away, of an elongated double-acting hinge embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and illustrating details of one of the pivot rings and the door attachment bracket to which it is attached at one side of the hinge;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectiona| view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows and illustrating details of the other of the pivot rings and the door attachment bracket to which it is attached at the other side of the hinge;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. I in the direction of the arrows and illustrating how the door attachment brackets are secured to their respective doors at each side of the double-acting hinge;

FIG. 5 illustrates, in a partial oblique view as seen from above, a modification of the invention differing from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 only in that a plurality of main column sections interspaced by intermediate pivot rings are utilized instead of a single uninterrupted main column;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4 but illustrating the use of resilient gaskets along the abutting surfaces between the main column section and the door attachment brackets to provide a watertight construction particularly well suited for use with hinged shower doors and the like;

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4, for example, illustrating a modification of the attachment means of the brackets to their respective doors, and decorative shaping of the main column section resulting in novel and improved appearance, whether viewed from the outside or inside of the visible hinge structure;

FIG. 8 is an oblique view, as seen from above, of a singleacting elongated hinge embodying the invention, having detent mechanism for releasably constraining the hinged door, selectively, in either of its fully open or fully closed positions;

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 10 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a single-acting door hinge embodying the invention illustrating how the door attachment bracket can be integrally formed with a door trim molding to facilitate door hanging and finishing operations.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings, illustrating the first form of double-action hinge embodying the invention, the same comprises a hinge column 11, and a plurality of pivot rings 12, all pivotally journaled on a common center rod or pintle l3, and opposed door attachment brackets 14 attached along their lengths to doors D1 and D2 hinged with respect to said common center rod. The hinge column 11 and pivot rings 12 are of uniform cross-sectional shape along their lengths, and thus can be readily manufactured of extruded metals or synthetic plastic materials simply by cutting the extrusions to the desired lengths. The door attachment brackets l4, 14 are also of uniform cross-sectional configuration along their lengths for economical manufacture by extrusion techniques.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the hinge column 11 is formed along its length with opposed, arcuate surface portions l5, l5 concentric with a central longitudinal pivot rod bore 16. Opposed outer end portions of the arcuate surfaces l5, l5 merge with a symmetrical convexly rounded hinge side portion 17. The opposite end portions of the arcuate surfaces l5, l5 merge into an outwardly extending flat outer portion 18 opposite the rounded hinge side portion 17.

The door attachment brackets l4, 14 are substantially right angular in cross-sectional shape, with the exception of being formed along inside surface portions thereof with arcuate concavities l9, 19 having substantially the same radii as that of the arcuate surface portions of the hinge column 11. The arcuate concavities I9, 19 extend into short, inner wall portions 20, 20 to conform with the shape of the hinge column 11 upon assembly of the hinge, as is best illustrated in FIG. 4.

The pivot rings 12, which are of the same peripheral configuration as that of the hinge column 11, described above, and preferably comparatively short, include means for attachment to respective ones on the door attachment brackets l4, 14. To this end, the door attachment brackets l4, 14 are provided with laterally spaced, countersunk machine screw openings 21, 22 for the reception of machine screws 23, 24 extending into tapped openings 23a, 24a in the pivot rings 12. It will be understood that such laterally spaced pairs of attachment screws will be appropriately spaced along the lengths of each of the door attachment brackets 14, 14 to alternately support hinge rings 12 associated with respective hinged doors D1 and D2. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the door attachment brackets l4, 14 are also provided, in spaced relation along their lengths, with countersunk bores 25, 25 adapted to receive outwardly extending wood screw 26 for the securement of said attachment brackets along the edges of the mutually hinged doors D1, D2.

In the operation of the double-acting hinge structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 and described above, it will be understood that the center rod or pintle 13 about which the doors DI and D2 are pivotally hung will be vertically supported at the top and at the bottom in the doorframe by any convenient attachment mechanism. Alternatively, the main hinge column ll could be fixed with respect to the doorframe for supporting the hinge. After assembly of the hinge, the hinge column 11 will be secured with respect to the fixed center rod 13 as by setscrews 13a.

As viewed in FIG. I, the hinged door D1 is free to swing from its closed position to an open position in an anticlockwise direction. Similarly, the hinged door D2 is free to swing from its illustrated closed position to an open position in a clockwise direction. It will be understood that the abutment of the inner wall portions 20, 20 of the door attachment brackets 14, 14 against the opposed sides of the outwardly extending portion 18 of the hinge column 11 prevents opening of the doors in their reverse directions. If for any reason it is desired that the hinged doors swing a full 360 about their pivotal center rod 13, it is a simple matter to effect this end simply by dispensing with the outwardly extending flat portions 18 of the hinge column 11 and the pivot rings 12.

FIG. illustrates a modification of the invention wherein, instead using a unitary hinge column 11 extending substantially from end to end along the hinge, as in FIG. 1, a plurality of short hinge column sections 11a, 11b, 11c etc., are utilized, interspaced by pivot rings l2, l2 alternately associated with each of the respective doors being hinged. This construction lends itself particularly well to the production of hinges in kit form to suit a wide range of hinge lengths that may be required within multiples of a given length of hinge column section. In such use, in order to achieve a desired hinge length it is only necessary for the user to select the appropriate number of hinge column sections and/or pivot rings and door attachment bracket sections. It is also to be noted that in a kit, the main column member and the door attachment bracket members could be supplied in long lengths to be cut into appropriate shorter lengths to provide the length of assembled hinge required.

FIG. 6 illustrates a hinge similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, but slightly modified to provide for watertight and airtight construction when the doors are closed. Construction differs only in that the flat face portion 18a of hinge a extends outwardly to each side to provide inner rectangular shoulders 27, 28 having cemented or otherwise affixed thereagainst and therealong right-angular gaskets 29, 30 respectively, preferably of a synthetic resilient material such as Neoprene. The outwardly extending gasketed shoulders 27 28 fit into right-angular recesses 31, 32 formed along the door attachment brackets 14a, 140 at each side of the hinge.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 and to provide for increased protection against water or gas leakage at the hinge when the doors are in closed position, the hinge column 11d will be formed along its length with opposed shoulders lle, 11f, open to the convex outer surface portion 17a and fitted along their lengths with flat gasket strips 290, 30a seatable against facing elongated abutment flange portions 14b, 14b of the door attachment brackets 14a, 14a. It will be understood that in operation, when the hinged doors are closed at either side of the hinge, the facing portions along the column member and along the door attachment brackets will clamp against their respective gaskets when the doors are moved into closed position, thereby affording a double seal along the length of the hinge against the entrance of water or gas.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modification of the attachment means of the brackets to their respective doors. and decorative shaping of the main column section. As illustrated in FIG. 7 the door attachment brackets 33 and 34 are each formed with opposed, outwardly extending side portions 35, 36 defining along their lengths rectangular recesses 37, 38, respectively, within which marginal vertical edge portions of doors D1, D2 can be fitted and secured in any convenient manner, such as by cementing. The rounded inside of the hinge portion can be fluted along its length, as indicated at 39, for decorative effect. The outsides of the door attachment brackets 33 and 34 could also be provided along their lengths with decorative embossing, as indicated at 40. At the opposite side of the hinge, the hinge column member or members and their associated pivot rings could be formed along their lengths with an ornamental convex projection, as indicated at 41.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a single-acting hinge embodying the invention, indicated generally by reference numeral 42 in FIG. 8. The hinge 42 comprises a main column section 43, of uniform cross-sectional shape along its length and formed at one side with opposed flanges 44 and 45 for attachment of the hinge in a door frame F as by wood screws 46. The main column section 43 is provided with an end-to-end bore 47 received within which is a center rod or pintle 48. The pintle 48 also rotatively journals two or more pivot rings 49, (only one illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). The outwardly extending sides of the column section 43 and pivot rings 49 are arcuately shaped along a circle concentric with the pintle bore 47. A door attachment bracket 50, also of uniform cross-sectional shape along its length, is secured to the pivot rings 49 spaced along the hinge, as by machine screw 51. The inner face of the door attachment bracket 50 is of such concavely arcuate shape along its length as to slidingly fit against the outer rounded surface of the main column section 43 as the hinge is operated. The longitudinal door edgev of a door D3 is secured in abutting relation against the outer longitudinal edge of the door attachment bracket 50 as by a plurality of wood screws 52 (only one illustrated in FIG. 9).

Detent mechanism is provided for yieldingly fixing the hinged door D3 in one or more selected hinge positions, such as in fully closed or fully open position. To this end, one or more of the pivot rings 49 is provided with a laterally inwardly extending bore 53 communicating with the center rod or pintle bore and within which is disposed a spring-pressed ball 54. A setscrew 55 tapped into the outer end of the bore 53 retains the helical compression spring 56 in abutting relationship against the ball 54, causing it to press selectively into rounded depressions 57, 58 provided in the pintle 48. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the spring-pressed ball 54 is seated in pintle recess 57 so located that the hinge door is retained in closed position. When the door D3 is swung clockwisely, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to the fully opened position, the ball 54 will fall into pintle recess 58 to yielding retain the door in the fully open position. It is to be understood that while the pintle depressions as described above are so arranged that the door D3 is selectively retained either in its fully open or fully closed position, such depressions could be otherwise rotatively disposed or rotatively displaced with respect to one another to provide for retaining the door in any one, two or more of a plurality of different angular hinge positions. In this connection it is to be noted that it is only necessary to loosen the setscrews 60 securing the pivotal pintle 48 with respect to the main column section 43 to permit the turning and securing of said pintle in any other appropriate rotative position for providing detent action of the door with respect to the hinge at whatever angular position required.

FIG. 10 illustrates still another modification of the invention differing from the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 only in that the main column section 43a is formed with along its length at one side with an integrally formed, outwardly extending flange portion 43b having the cross-sectional shape of a strip of doorframe trim or molding. In this embodiment of the invention wood screws 61 applied along the length of the flange portion 43b can be used to secure the hinge in place with respect to the doorframe.

While I have illustrated and described herein several different forms in which my invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that these forms are given by way of example only and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A hinge comprising, in combination, a pintle, an elongated hinge column member having a central longitudinal bore through which said pintle extends, said hinge column member being of uniform cross-sectional shape along its length, a plurality of comparatively short pivot ring members, said pivot ring members having central bores and being journaled in spaced relation on said pintle, an elongated door attachment bracket member, of uniform cross-sectional shape along its length, disposed in parallel relation with respect to said column member, means securing said door attachment bracket to each of a first pair of said spaced-apart pivot ring members at one side of said door attachment bracket, and means for attaching a door to be hinged to the other side of said door attachment bracket member.

2. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said hinge column member is integrally formed along one side with an outwardly extending flange portion simulating a wood doorframe trimpiece in appearance.

3. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said hinge column member is integrally formed, along the side opposite said door attachment bracket member, with opposed, outwardly extending flanges adapted to be seated against the inside of a doorframe, and a plurality of screw holes provided in spaced relation along the lengths of said flanges for securing said hinge column member in place in the doorframe.

4. A hinge as defined in claim 1, including detent mechanism cooperative between said pintle and one of said pivot ring members for yieldingly retaining said door attachment bracket member at a predetermined angular position relative to said pintle.

5. A hinge as defined in claim 4, wherein said detent mechanism comprises a laterally extending bore in said one pivot ring member and communicating with its central bore, a spring-pressed ball in said lateral bore, said ball being yieldingly urged in the direction of said pivot ring member bore, a circular depression in the peripheral face of said pintle, said depression being positioned along a circle aligned with the lateral diameter of said lateral bore, and means for adjustable securing said pintle with respect to said hinge column member.

6. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said column member and said pivot ring members are substantially identical in cross-sectional shape and symmetrical with respect to an axial plane thereof, a second elongated door attachment bracket member, of the same cross-sectional shape along its length as said first attachment bracket member and being disposed in parallel relation with respect to said column member at a position opposite that of said first attachment bracket member, means for securing said second door attachment bracket to each of a second pair of spaced-apart pivot ring members at one side of said second door attachment bracket, and means for attaching a second door to be hinged to the other side of said second door attachment bracket member.

7. A hinge as defined in claim 6, comprising a plurality of hinge column members interspaced by said pivot ring members.

8. A hinge as defined in claim 6, including abutment means operative between said column member and said door attachment bracket members for limiting the swinging movement of doors attached to said bracket members at closed hinge positions.

9. A hinge as defined in claim 8, wherein said abutment means comprises a pair of opposed shoulders formed along said column member and a second pair of complemental shoulders formed one each along said attachment bracket members.

10. A hinge as defined in claim 9, including gaskets fitted between the cooperative shoulders of said column member and said attachment brackets for sealing the hinge against the leakage of gas or water at closed hinge positions of said bracket members and their associated doors. 

1. A hinge comprising, in combination, a pintle, an elongated hinge column member having a central longitudinal bore through which said pintle extends, said hinge column member being of uniform cross-sectional shape along its length, a plurality of comparatively short pivot ring members, said pivot ring members having central bores and being journaled in spaced relation on said pintle, an elongated door attachment bracket member, of uniform cross-sectional shape along its length, disposed in parallel relation with respect to said column member, means securing said door attachment bracket to each of a first pair of said spaced-apart pivot ring members at one side of said door attachment bracket, and means for attaching a door to be hinged to the other side of said door attachment bracket member.
 2. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said hinge column member is integrally formed along one side with an outwardly extending flange portion simulating a wood doorframe trim-piece in appearance.
 3. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said hinge column member is integrally formed, along the side opposite said door attachment bracket member, with opposed, outwardly extending flanges adapted to be seated against the inside of a doorframe, and a plurality of screw holes provided in spaced relation along the lengths of said flanges for securing said hinge column member in place in the doorframe.
 4. A hinge as defined in claim 1, including detent mechanism cooperative between said pintle and one of said pivot ring members for yieldingly retaining said door attachment bracket member at a predetermined angular position relative to said pintle.
 5. A hinge as defined in claim 4, wherein said detent mechanism comprises a laterally extending bore in said one pivot ring member and communicating with its central bore, a spring-pressed ball in said lateral bore, said ball being yieldingly urged in the direction of said pivot ring member bore, a circular depression in the peripheral face of said pintle, said depression being positioned along a circle aligned with the lateral diameter of said lateral bore, and means for adjustable securing said pintle with respect to said hinge column member.
 6. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said column member and said pivot ring members are substantially identical in cross-sectional shape and symmetrical with respect to an axial plane thereof, a second elongated door attachment bracket member, of the same cross-sectional shape along its length as said first attachment bracket member and being disposed in parallel relation with respect to said column member at a position opposite that of said first attachment bracket member, means for securing said second door attachment bracket to each of a second pair of spaced-apart pivot ring members at one side of said second door attachment bracket, and means for attaching a second door to be hinged to the other side of said second door attachment bracket member.
 7. A hinge as defined in claim 6, comprising a plurality of hinge column members interspaced by said pivot ring members.
 8. A hinge as defined in claim 6, including abutment means operative between said column member and said door attachment bracket members for limiting the swinging movement of doors attached to said bracket members at closed hinge positions.
 9. A hinge as defined in claim 8, wherein said abutment means comprises a pair of opposed shoulders formed along said column member and a second pair of complemental shoulders formed one each along said attachment bracket members.
 10. A hinge as defined in claim 9, including gaskets fitted between the cooperative shoulders of said column member and said attachment brackets for sealing the hinge against the leakage of gas or water at closed hinge positions of said bracket members and their associated doors. 